Venice! The charming grandeur of this city in the sea grabs you from the very moment you step on her shores. Romance and history abound. However, her labyrinth streets and bridges can present a bit of a challenge for the newcomer, so having a knowledgeable Walks of Italy guide to help you get your bearings is a wonderful way to start the visit. Walks of Italy provides an excellent introduction to this colorful city, complete with an authentic gondola ride along the Grand Canal! The Welcome to Venice tour is a 2 hour walking and historical tour, combined with a half hour gondola ride through the magical Venice canals.

From the moment we met our knowledgeable and enthusiast guide Mosél, we knew we were in good hands. He took us on an energetic jaunt through the history of Venice. Our pace was perfect for a walking tour in the heat of summer as Mosél was careful to keep the group of 12 in the shade as much as possible.

From the highly photographed Rialto Bridge to the famous St. Mark’s Square, it felt as though we wandered the city with our very own guide. He explained in a city of 60,000 residents and 30 million tourists, the importance of keeping Venice alive. It was obvious he was passionate about this city and having a guide who lives in Venice is certainly a plus.

The two hour walking tour passed in a blink, and then we were being guided into one of the authentic gondolas of Venice. A true bucket list item for most of us! The tour lasted about 30 minutes and we not only did we experience the bustle of the Grand Canal, but also saw several of the charming and curious smaller canals crisscrossing Venice.

Walks of Italy allowed us to take the tour complementary as travel bloggers, however the opinions of the service levels given are completely our own. The Welcome to Venice Tour was a delightful experience and a wonderful introduction to a city well known for her puzzling mosaic of canals. The gondola ride transported us back in time as the sleek boat slid silently under the quaint bridges of old Venice. Welcome To Venice Tour – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Tips for making the best of your tour:

Wear comfortable shoes – there is quite a bit of walking and many bridge steps to navigate.

Bring along your own water as there aren’t any stops along the tour and Venice can get hot during the summer.

Bringing along a small notebook and pen to jot down place names is a good idea if you want to re-visit some of the locations on the tour later.

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